NEST News 

Biodiversity at home 

A garden is a life-long investment. We can create rich ecosystems over time and there are endless ways in which we can enhance biodiversity in our own backyards with simple implementations. If you are curious about seeing more animals in your local area, here are some suggestions.  

Planting a tree 

Winter season is a fantastic time to for planting trees, as they are dormant in winter and their natural cycles go uninterrupted. Below are a few Australian species that would attract wildlife and bees to your garden and look stunning in springtime. 

Gum tree (Eucalyptus) – Will attract colourful birds and bees 

Banksia  - native birds, bees and small mammals 

Bottlebrush (Callistemon) – possums,  flying foxes, lizards, insects and nectar-eating birds 

Wattle (Acacia) – native birds and bees 

Waratah (Telopea) – native birds 

Spider flower (Grevilleas) – insects,  bees, butterflies and nectar-eating birds 

To see more go to: https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/9-australian-native-plants-and-trees-to-attract-wildlife-and-bees-to-your-apartment-balcony-or-garden  Don’t have enough space in your backyard? Then why not donate a tree or use Ecosia as your default search engine! 

Add a water feature 

You can use a small container or a bathtub as a pond for wildlife to drink from.  To attract birds, a bird bath is a common feature. If you want to attract butterflies, ensure to use shallow water. 

DIY Birdhouse 

Birdhouses are cheap to construct and are fun and easy to make, no matter the skill level. When implemented, they attract a variety of birds for your garden and will enhance your ecosystem. Below are some simple designs you might want to try out: 

http://www.runnerduck.com/lpbirdhouse.htm

https://outlawgarden.com/2014/03/03/diy-simple-bird-house/

http://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/1-modern-cedar-birdhouse

https://howtospecialist.com/uncategorized/how-to-build-a-bird-house/

Hopefully this proves useful to your garden projects and make your garden an attractive habitat for wildlife! Increasing biodiversity where we can is extremely pivotal to all life on Earth in order to sustain healthy ecosystems, which in turn support soil fertility, nutrient recycling, crop and tree fertility and of course, nurtures our relationships with the environment itself. 

Jessica Nguyen 

Year 12